Today is the birthday of the man who fathered me.

Though he wasn’t perfect he was a good dad. He was always up for fun. He would tickle us, wrestle with us, joke around with us. He would race us to the car or come up behind us and scare us. He taught me how to shoot a gun and he took me fishing. He showed me that money doesn’t grow on trees and you have to work hard for it every day. He taught me to never rely on a man to take care of me, to set myself up to make enough money to support myself and any children that I had all on my own.

He always gave us hugs and kisses before bed. He helped me with my school work and when I got my first period he just squeezed me and said, “you’re getting old, sister.”

He would take us out on his boat and we would go tubing or fishing, if he had a fish on his line he would always trade one of us and let us reel the fish in. He would watch old cartoons with us and say what was going to happen before it happened. Then look at us to see our reaction. He would crack up at Disney movies with us and was just as fond of them as we were.

He taught me how to drive and it made him so anxious. He would be on edge the whole time, even though he wouldn’t admit it.

A story he always tells is how he had to take me to work one day because there was ice and snow on the roads so he took me in his welding truck and after he dropped me off he did donuts in the parking lot. He loves to tell that story.

I can’t hear a George Strait song without thinking of him. I give my kids nicknames because he gave us nicknames. He’s the most stubborn man I know.

Happy birthday, dad. I love you. I wouldn’t be who I am without you. Please enjoy all these old photos I found of my dad.

Fishing is one of his favorite past times.

I believe he was in the army at this time.

A teenage James.

My dad and his sister Brenda.